How do calcium ions induce free radical oxidation of hydroxy-1,4-naphthoquinone? Ca2+ stabilizes the naphthosemiquinone anion-radical of echinochrome A

A surprising effect is the direct action of Ca(2+) on redox reactions of ortho-quinoid compounds. The effect of Ca(2+) on oxidation of the sea urchin pigment 6-ethyl-2,3,5,7,8-pentahydroxy-1,4-naphthoquinone (echinochrome A) has been studied by electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) spectroscopy, by UV/VIS absorbance spectroscopy, and by measurement of oxygen consumption. Echinochrome A per se reacted with dioxygen only in an alkaline solution; 2,3-semiquinone anion-radical of echinochrome A and superoxide anion-radical were the intermediates of the oxidation. Addition of calcium ions sharply increased the rate of echinochrome A autooxidation at alkaline pH and provoked oxidation at neutral pH. To explain this phenomenon we have focused on changes of the acid-base properties of echinochrome A in the presence of calcium and on stabilization of 2,3-semiquinone anion-radical of echinochrome A by Ca(2+). Dissociation constants (pK(a1), pK(a2), and pK(a3)) of echinochrome A determined by potentiometric titration were 5.20, 6.78, and >10 in calcium-free solution and 5.00, 6.10, and 7.15 in the presence of Ca(2+). We have found that Ca(2+) forms an insoluble adduct with the 2,3-semiquinone anion-radical. Thus, the effect of redox-inert calcium on the free radical reactions could be explained (i) by additional deprotonation of echinochrome A and (ii) by formation of a Ca(2+)-naphtho-2,3-semiquinone complex (calcium semiquinonate). Additionally, we have shown that the dried red spines from Strongylocentrotus intermedius possess paramagnetic properties; the EPR signal of the natural spines was similar to that of calcium semiquinonate obtained in our artificial chemical system.     

Antioxidant properties, autooxidation, and mutagenic activity of echinochrome a compared with its etherified derivative

Antioxidant properties of 2,3,5,7,8-pentahydroxy-6-ethyl-1,4-naphthoquinone (echinochrome A) were linked with the scavenging of peroxy radicals in liposomes, trapping of superoxide anion radicals, and binding of ferrous ions to inactive complexes in the aqueous phase. The antioxidant property of 6-ethyl-2,3,7-trimethoxy-5,8-dihydroxy-1,4-naphthoquinone (trimethoxyechinochrome A) was negligible. Autooxidation of echinochrome A was increased in basic media according to the degree of its dissociation. Autooxidation of polyvalent anions in basic media was accompanied by generation of naphthosemiquinone and superoxide anion radicals as free radical intermediates. An increased rate of echinochrome A autooxidation was noted in the presence of calcium ions. This was explained by a shift of pK of Ca²⁺–echinochrome A complexes toward acidic pH comparably with echinochrome A. Echinochrome A possessed pronounced mutagenic activity, while trimethoxyechinochrome A was inactive in the Salmonella/mammalian microsome reverse mutation assay (Ames test) for all examined cells (TA98, TA100, TA1537). Comparison of the chemical and biological activity of echinochrome A and trimethoxyechinochrome A demonstrated the key role of the -hydroxyl groups in the 2nd, 3rd, and 7th naphthol cycle positions. The and naphthosemiquinone radicals generated in the redox transition of 2,3-oxygroups may be the reason for the strongly pronounced mutagenicity of echinochrome A.     

Pigments in egg cells and epidermis of sand dollar <Emphasis Type="Italic">Scaphechinus mirabilis</Emphasis>

The naphthoquinone pigments of epidermal cells and gametes of clypeasteroid sand dollar Scaphechinus mirabilis isolated enzymatically with subsequent alcohol extraction were studied. It was found that naphthoquinone pigments are present in the pigment cells incorporated into the jelly coat of oocytes but not in the cytoplasm of unfertilized eggs. Laser desorption/ionization mass spectra showed that the pigment cells incorporated into the coats of mature egg cells contain spinochromes E and D, and those found in the epidermis of adult urchins contain echinochrome A and spinochrome D. No spinochromes were found in eggs lacking coats. Fertilization of sea urchins is accompanied by oxidative burst associated with the production of hydrogen peroxide from molecular oxygen by quinone- and naphthoquinone-dependent oxidase Udx1. Since there were no quinones in the egg cells of S. mirabilis, it can be assumed that water-soluble spinochrome E, penetrating by diffusion into the egg cytoplasm from the pigment cells of the coat, is used for hydrogen peroxide stimulation of embryogenesis. Echinochrome A, the dominant echinochrome in epidermal cells of the adult urchin, is insoluble in water and, apparently, immobilized by the ethyl group as a hydrophobic anchor.     

Fungitoxicity of 1,4-naphthoquinones to Candida albicans and Trichophyton mentagrophytes.

Twenty-one substituted 1,4-naphthoquinones and five 8-quinolinols and copper(II) chelates were tested for antifungal activity against Candida albicans and Trichophyton mentagrophytes. Compounds containing electron-releasing or weak electron-withdrawing groups in the 2 and 3 positions of the 1,4-naphthoquinone ring were the most active against C. albicans at pH 7.0 in the presence of beef serum in the following order: 2-CH3O = 2,3-(CH3O)2 greater than 2-CH3 greater than 2-CH3S greater than 2-NH2 greater than 2,6-(CH3)2. For T. mentagrophytes under the same conditions the inhibitory 1,4-naphthoquinones contained the substituents 2-CH3O greater than 2,3-(CH3O)2 greater than 2-CH2S greater than 2-CH3 greater than 2-CH3(NaHSO3) greater than 2-NH2 greater than 2-C2H5S, 3-CH3 greater than 2,6-(CH3)2 greater than 2,3-CL2 greater than 5,8-(OH)2.     

Diversity of Polyhydroxynaphthoquinone Pigments in North Pacific Sea Urchins

Using high‐performance liquid chromatography with diode‐array detection and mass spectrometry (HPLC‐DAD/MS) we investigated the composition of polyhydroxynaphthoquinone (PHNQ) pigments from sea urchins Strongylocentrotus pallidus, St. polyacanthus, St. droebachiensis, Brisaster latifrons and Echinarachnius parma, collected in the Sea of Okhotsk and the Bering Sea. Identification of PHNQ pigments from sea urchins St. polyacanthus, B. latifrons, and E. parma was performed for the first time. Among the usual PHNQ pigments, mono‐ and dimethoxy derivatives of spinochrome E, not previously found in other sea urchins, were discovered in St. polyacanthus and St. droebachiensis. In St. droebachiensis, two monomethoxy derivatives of echinochrome A were detected, isolated previously from only tropical sea urchins. It was found that the composition and total content of pigments of St. droebachiensis depends on the collection area of the sea urchins and its depth and varies from 88 to 331 μg/g of dry shells. Sea urchins St. pallidus, B. latifrons and E. parma had average values for PHNQ pigment content, approximately 30 μg/g, and St. polyacanthus had a low PHNQ content, 13 μg/g.     

Echinochrome, a naturally occurring iron chelator and free radical scavenger in artificial and natural membrane systems

Echinochrome, or 6-ethyl-2,3,5,7,8-pentahydroxy-1,4-naphthoquinone, possesses cardioprotective activity, and diminishes the myocardial ischemia/reperfusion injury that is known to be accompanied by free-radical oxidative damage and calcium overload. In this study, we investigated the lipophilicity of echinochrome, its ability to inhibit free-radical oxidation both in the bulk organic phase and in an artificial membrane system (liposomes), and to prevent the ferrous/ascorbate-induced leakage of calcium from the isolated sarcoplasmic reticulum (SR) of rabbit skeletal muscle. The experimentally-determined octanol/water partition coefficient (LogP) of echinochrome was +3.11, and the distribution coefficient (LogD) was +2.58 at pH 6.0 and -0.15 at pH 8.0. Echinochrome displayed high scavenging activity against 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) radicals with a stoichiometry of about 1:7. Echinochrome was more effective in inhibiting the phosphatidyl choline liposome peroxidation induced by Fe2+/ascorbate than that induced by hemin. The iron chelating ability of echinochrome was estimated spectrophotometrically. In isolated SR, echinochrome protected the ATP-dependent Ca2+-pump system from damage by Fe2+/ascorbate. It was concluded that iron chelation predominates in the overall antioxidant potential of echinochrome.     

A study of the antioxidant and membranotropic activities of equinochrome a using different model systems

Echinochrome A (6-ethyl-2,3,5,7,8-pentahydroxy-1,4-naphthoquinone) isolated from the body of sand dollar Scaphechinus mirabilis is an active substance of cardioprotective medication Histochrome and exerts a wide spectrum of anti-inflammatory activities. In the present paper, we conducted a comparative study of the antioxidant (radical-scavengering) properties of echinochrome A in 2,2′-azobis(2-methylpropionamidine) dihydrochloride?luminol and hemoglobin?hydrogen peroxide?luminol systems and assessed its impact on permeability of planar bilayer lipid membranes. Trolox was used as a reference antioxidant and ascorbic acid and dihydroquercetin are taken as standards. Echinochrome A shows moderate antioxidant activity, possessing higher antioxidant capacity than Trolox and ascorbic acid, but exhibiting lower antioxidant potential compared with dihydroquercetin in tests for antioxidant activity in both investigated systems. The test substances can be arranged in the following order according to the effectiveness of the antioxidant effect: dihydroquercetin > echinochrome A > Trolox > ascorbic acid. Echinochrome A does not lead to significant changes in the permeability of planar bilayer membranes in a dose range of 1.5 to 30 μМ. Our data indicate that echinochrome A has a rather high level of radical-scavengering activity without a primary membranotropic effect. It is thought that the high levels of the cardioprotective and anti-inflammatory activities of echinochrome A may be due not only to the ability of this substance to neutralize reactive oxygen species, but also to its capacity to generate physiological concentrations of hydrogen peroxide molecules in biological systems as signaling messengers of various metabolic processes and biochemical pathways. The suspected mechanisms of the biological activity of echinochrome A are discussed.     

2,3-Dimethoxy-5-methyl-1,4-benzoquinones and 2-methyl-1,4-naphthoquinones: glycation inhibitors with lipid peroxidation activity

Anti-glycation activity of our anti-oxidant quinone library was measured and several 2,3-dimethoxy-5-methyl-1,4-benzoquinones and 2-methyl-1,4-naphthoquinones were identified as novel inhibitors of glycation, of which 2,3-dimethoxy-5-methyl-1,4-benzoquinones 13b is the most potent glycation inhibitor with around 50 microM of the IC(50) value.     

Activity of natural and synthetic naphthoquinones against Toxoplasma gondii,in vitro and in murine models of infection

The effect of 14 natural and synthetic naphthoquinones in the replication of Toxoplasma gondii was evaluated. In vitro studies were accomplished in cultures of 2C4 fibroblasts infected with RH-strain. Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay was used to quantify parasite growth. For the studies in vivo, mice were infected with tachyzoites of the RH strain or cysts of the T. gondii EGS strain. In vitro, seven naphthoquinones demonstrated significant inhibition of intracellular T. gondii growth at concentrations of 1 and 5 micrograms/ml. Only three compounds were significantly protective when tested in animals: 2-hydroxy-3'-(3'-pentenyl)-1,4-naphthoquinone (PHNQ4), 2-hydroxy-3-(1'-vinylphenyl)-1,4-naphthoquinone (PHNQ5), and 2-hydroxy-3-(1'-propen-3'-phenyl)-1,4-naphthoquinone (PHNQ6). In animals infected with the EGS strain and treated with PHNQ4 (50 mg/kg/day orally), a 7-day prolongation of the time to death was observed. Treatment with 100 mg/kg/day orally or 50 mg/kg/day i.p. of PHNQ5 resulted in a 5-day and 16-day prolongation of the time to death, respectively. Treatment with 50 mg/kg/day orally or 50 mg/kg/day i.p. of PHNQ6 resulted in a 4-day prolongation of the time to death or up to 30 days after treatment, respectively. Our results suggest that the naphthoquinones may be important therapeutic agents for the treatment of toxoplasmosis.     

Generation of superoxides during the interaction of melanins with oxygen

The rate of nitroblue tetrazolium (NBT) reduction by dihydroxyphenylalanine-melanin, pheomelanin and retinal pigment epithelium melanosomes under aerobic conditions (pH 7.4) is low both in the dark and upon illumination, but increases drastically in the presence of cetyltrimethylammonium bromide (CTAB). Under these conditions, the light insignificantly stimulates NBT reduction (1.3-fold). The reaction is effectively inhibited by superoxide dismutase. This suggests that superoxide anions (O2-. are formed as intermediate reaction products in the course of NBT reduction by melanins. At alkaline values of pH (greater than or equal to 9.0), the O2-.-dependent reduction of NBT can also take place in the absence of CTAB. In contrast with oxidation of photoreduced riboflavin, the melanin oxidation by O2 cannot induce lipid peroxidation. It is concluded that O2-. generation via melanin oxidation of melanosomes occurs only under non-physiological conditions and can hardly take place in vivo.     

Synthesis and evaluation of novel 1,4-naphthoquinone derivatives as antiviral, antifungal and anticancer agents

The synthesis and evaluation of some 2-substituted-1,4-naphthoquinones 2, S-(1,4-naphthoquinon-2-yl)-mercaptoalkanoic acid amides 4, related benzoquinone and naphthoquinone derivatives 6-9 and 2,3-disubstituted 1,4-naphthoquinones 10-11 were carried out. The antifungal, antibacterial, antiviral and anticancer activities were determined by using the standard assay. The results show that compounds 2b and 10a showed in vitro antiviral activity against Influenza-A Virus and Herpes Simplex Virus and possess pronounced antifungal profile whereas 4a showed anticancer activities against Lymphoid Leukaemia P 388.     

Glycolate formation catalyzed by spinach leaf transketolase utilizing the superoxide radical

A homogeneous preparation of transketolase was obtained from spinach leaf; the specific enzyme activity was 9.5 mumolo of glyceraldehyde-3-P formed (mg of protein)-1 min-1, when xylulose-5-P and ribose-5-P were used as the donor and acceptor, respectively, of the ketol residue. Transketolase catalyzed the formation of glycolate from fructose-6-P coupled with the O2- -generating system of xanthine-xanthine oxidase. The addition of superoxide dismutase (145 units) or 1,2-dihydroxybenzene-3,5-disulfonic acid (Tiron) (5 mM), both O2- scavengers, to the reaction system inhibited glycolate formation 72 and 58%, respectively. The reacton was not inhibited by catalase. Mannitol, an .OH scavenger, and beta-carotene and 1,4-diazobicyclo[2.2.2]octane, 1O2 scavengers, showed little or no inhibitory effects. The rate of glycolate formation catalyzed by the transketolase system was measured in a coupled reaction with a continuous supply of KO2 dissolved in dimethyl sulfoxide, used as an O2- -generating system. The optimum pH of the reaction was above pH 8.5. The second-order rate constant for the reaction between transketolase and O2-, determined by the competition for O2- between nitroblue tetrazolium (NBT) and transketolase, was 1.0 X 10(6) M-1 s-1. Transketolase showed an inhibitory effect on the O2- -dependent reduction of NBT only if the reaction mixture was previously incubated with ketol donors such as fructose-6-P, xylulose-5-P, or glycolaldehyde. The results suggest the possibility that transketolase catalyzes O2- -dependent glycolate formation under increased steady-state levels of O2- in the chloroplast stroma.     

The 1,4-naphthoquinone scaffold in the design of cysteine protease inhibitors

A series of 1,4-naphthoquinone derivatives diversely substituted at C-2, C-3, C-5 and C-8, prepared by reaction of amines, amino acids and alcohols with commercial 1,4-naphthoquinones, has been evaluated against papain and bovine spleen cathepsin B. These 1,4-naphthoquinone derivatives were found to be irreversible inhibitors for both cysteine proteases, with second-order rate constants, k(2), ranging from 0.67 to 35.4M(-1)s(-1) for papain, and from 0.54 to 8.03M(-1)s(-1) for cathepsin B. Some derivatives display a hyperbolic dependence of the first-order inactivation rate constant, k(obs), with the inhibitor concentration, indicative of a specific interaction process between enzyme and inhibitor. The chemical reactivity of the compounds towards cysteine as a model thiol is dependent on the naphthoquinone LUMO energy, whereas papain inactivation is not. The 1,4-naphthoquinone derivatives are inactive against the serine protease, porcine pancreatic elastase.     

Studies on the reduction of nitroblue tetrazolium chloride mediated through the action of NADH and phenazine methosulphate.

The general features of the reduction of nitroblue tetrazolium chloride (NBT) by NADH and phenazine methosulphate (PMS) have been studied under aerobic and anaerobic conditions. Under aerobic condition the reduction appears to be mediated through the intermediate formation of the superoxide anion radical O2-.; this reaction is strongly inhibited by superoxide dismutase and by a number of O2-. scavengers such as propyl gallate, (+)-catechin, manganous ions, reduced glutathione and benzoquinone. Cupric ions inhibited the overall reaction by reoxidising reduced PMS. Under anaerobic conditions, superoxide dismutase had only a small inhibitory action and, with the exception of cupric ions, the other substances mentioned above were ineffective as inhibitors. The data presented show that the use of NBT to detect the presence of O2-. is fraught with difficulties due to an equally rapid reduction of NBT by NADH and PMS under anaerobic conditions.     

Evidence for the formation of superoxide ion from the reaction of Cu(II)-ethylenediamine complex with hydrogen peroxide.

Formation of superoxide ion (O2-) from the reaction of CuII(en)2 (en: ethylenediamine) with hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) was first determined spectrophotometrically by use of nitro blue tetrazolium (NBT) in aqueous solutions. From this result, it has been suggested that superoxide ion is generated as an intermediate at the first reaction step between CuII(en)2 and H2O2.     

Mechanism of NADH-sensitized formation of DNA breaks during irradiation with near UV light]

NADH-photosensitized in vitro formation of single-stranded breaks in plasmid DNA pBR322 depends on both the concentration of the sensitizer and the influence of near-UV radiation (320-400 nm). Scavengers and inhibitors of different activated oxygen species (sodium azide, sodium benzoate, catalase and superoxide dismutase) prevent the formation of breaks in full or partly. The data obtained show that hydroxyl radical (.OH) and singlet oxygen (1O2) are directly involved in the induction of breaks. In this process hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) plays the role of an intermediate in the reaction of .OH formation from superoxide anion-radical (O2-.) which is the first NAD.H-photogenerated product.     

Autoxidation of extracellular hydroquinones is a causative event for the cytotoxicity of menadione and DMNQ in A549-S cells

Cytotoxicity of 1,4-naphthoquinones has been attributed to intracellular reactive oxygen species (ROS) generation through one-electron-reductase-mediated redox cycling and to arylation of cellular nucleophiles. Here, however, we report that in a subclone of lung epithelial A549 cells (A549-S previously called A549-G4S (Watanabe, et al., Am. J. Physiol. 283 (2002) L726-736), the mechanism of ROS generation by menadione and by 2,3-dimethoxy-1,4-naphthoquinone (DMNQ), and therefore that of cytotoxicity, differs from the paradigm. Ninety percent of H(2)O(2) generation by both the quinones can be prevented by dicumarol, an inhibitor of NAD(P)H quinone oxidoreductase (NQO1), at the submicromolar level, regardless of the quinone concentrations. Exogenous SOD also inhibits H(2)O(2) production at low but not high concentrations of the quinones, especially DMNQ. Thus, at low quinone concentrations, superoxide-driven hydroquinone autoxidation accounts for more than half of H(2)O(2) generation by both quinones, whereas at high quinone concentrations, especially for DMNQ, comproportionation-driven hydroquinone autoxidation becomes the predominant mechanism. Hydroquinone autoxidation appears to occur predominantly in the extracellular environment than in the cytosol as extracellular catalase can dramatically attenuate quinone-induced cytotoxicity throughout the range of quinone concentrations, whereas complete inactivation of endogenous catalase or complete depletion of intracellular glutathione has only a marginal effect on their cytotoxicity. Finally, we show evidence that ROS production is a consequence of the compensatory defensive role of NQO1 against quinone arylation.     

Cytotoxicity of new polyfluorinated 1,4-naphtoquinones with diverse substituents in the quinone moiety

Fluorinated derivatives of 1,4-naphthoquinones are highly potent inhibitors of Cdc25A and Cdc25B phosphatases and growth of tumor cells. Eight new derivatives of polyfluoro-1,4-naphthoquinone were synthesized and their cytotoxicity in human myeloma, human mammary adenocarcinoma, mouse fibroblasts and primary mouse fibroblast cells as well as their mutagenic and antioxidant properties in a Salmonella tester strain were studied. The efficiency of suppressing the growth of two lines of tumor cells decreased in the order: 2-(2-hydroxy-ethylamino)-3,5,6,7,8-pentafluoro-1,4-naphthoquinone (1), 2,3-dimethoxy-5,6,7,8-tetrafluoro-1,4-naphthoquinone (2), 2-[2-hydroxyethyl(methyl)amino]-3,5,6,7,8-pentafluoro-1,4-naphthoquinone (3), 2-morpholino-3,5,6,7,8-pentafluoro-1,4-naphthoquinone (4), 2-[bis-(2-hydroxyethyl)amino]-3,5,6,7,8-pentafluoro-1,4-naphthoquinone (5), 2-[(2-hydroxy)ethylsulfanyl)]-5,6,7,8-tetrafluoro-1,4-naphthoquinone (6), 2-methoxy-3,5,6,7,8-pentafluoro-1,4-naphthoquinone (7), and 1,4-dioxo-3-(1-pyridinio)-1,4-dihydro-5,6,7,8-tetrafluoronaphthalene-2-olate (8). Taking into account these data together with the better cytotoxic effect against cancer cells as compared with normal mammalian cells, protecting of bacterial cells from spontaneous and H₂O₂-dependent mutagenesis, and lower general toxicity of the compounds towards different cells, one can propose that compounds 3-5 may be considered as useful potential inhibitors of growth of tumor cells.     

Antiproliferative activity of synthetic naphthoquinones related to lapachol. First synthesis of 5-hydroxylapachol

A series of 5-hydroxy-1,4-naphthoquinones analogues was synthesized from juglone (6) and their antiproliferative activity against a representative panel of six human solid tumor cell lines has been investigated. The 2,5-dihydroxy-3-(3-methylbut-2-enyl)naphthalene-1,4-dione (4) and 2,3-dihydro-5-hydroxy-2-(prop-1-en-2-yl)naphtho[2,3-b]furan-4,9-dione (27) were the most potent antiproliferative agents with GI₅₀ values of 0.42–8.1 and 0.80–2.2 μM, respectively. The results provide insight into the correlation between some structural properties of 5-hydroxynaphthoquinones and their antiproliferative activity.